From advocating for equal access to education to fostering stronger communities, Sanjay Dave has been an undeniable presence in the Mountain View-Los Altos District. After serving on the MVLA Board of Trustees for the last eight years, he is retiring at the end of this term. 

“It’s bittersweet for me to be stepping off,” Dave said. “I really enjoy being on the school board, but my work life has gotten busy and requires me to travel more. I’m no longer able to give the time that a trustee needs to give, so that’s the main reason I’m stepping down.” 

Advocating for education was always one of Dave’s biggest interests. His first exposure was in graduate school, where he served as a teacher’s assistant while pursuing his master’s degree.

Dave later joined his children’s elementary school PTA and then the Mountain View Rotary Club, where he became friends with previous MVLA Board trustee Judy Hanneman. As she was planning to retire, Dave got the opportunity to fill in her position.

“It felt like a good place for me to see the overall district and make a difference,” Dave said. “My focus was on the kids and how the district could improve academically.”

In 2017, Dave advocated for the $295 million bond measure that proposed local funding for school facilities. The bond brought funding to remodel classrooms, upgrade science labs, and enhance wellness centers, libraries, and counseling programs. These improvements were essential to modernizing the District’s infrastructure. 

“Sanjay really led the charge saying, ‘Hey, we only get to ask for a bond like this every so many years, so let’s ask for what we need so we can provide our campuses with our students with world-class facilities,’” former LAHS Athletic Boosters President Bob Crissman said. “The North Star for him was focusing on how everything was going to benefit the students.”

Dave was also involved in making the District’s Ethnic Studies curriculum for two years, ensuring that it met state standards. 

“A quality that you really need to have when you’re a school board member is putting students first,” Principal Tracey Runeare said. “Dave has really been a champion for the programs that we have here.”

“I’m proud of being able to work with teachers and the department heads to put together a program that many school districts look at as a great example,” Dave said.

At a board meeting on April 16, 2018, Dave commented on diversity in Advanced Placement classes. During the discussion, he raised the question of whether educators would need to adapt AP courses to accommodate a more diverse group of students.

“How do you change your AP courses to make sure that then you adapt to having more minority students enrolled in AP courses?” Dave asked.

The comment faced backlash from students, parents, and staff who viewed it as insensitive and misaligned with the District’s push for equity. In the days that followed, Dave issued a public apology, clarifying that his intent wasn’t to suggest lowering standards but to address the barriers that prevented underrepresented students from enrolling in advanced courses.

Despite the apology, the incident left lingering concerns among some members of the community. For others, however, it served as a reminder of the complexities in the educational equity conversation.

“In terms of their specific comment, we need to understand that if there’s a group of students reluctant to take an honors or AP course, we need to be honest and ask what we can do to help them,” Dave said. “Every child learns differently, and depending on the child, the right learning pedagogy is different.” 

Once Dave retires, his life isn’t getting less busy — he’s shifting to work as a Deputy Director at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. However, he also hopes to develop a few hobbies that have been at the back of his mind.

“I’ve always been interested in learning the guitar, so maybe I can be more serious about it,” Dave said.

As Dave prepares to step down, his legacy is seen differently by everyone. For some, his contributions are models of dedication to improving educational facilities and programs. For others, the controversy around his comment serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle to create a truly equitable learning environment.

Reflecting on his eight years on the Board, Dave expresses gratitude for the community and optimism for its future. 

“We’re very blessed with this community, and I’m always amazed at the level of excellence that our students bring,” Dave said. “I’ll really miss being a part of the Board, but I’m looking forward to seeing students make great accomplishments.”